Table 1

Arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂) and acid-base status in Australian (AUS) and Bolivian (BOL) football players at near sea-level and during 12 days at 3600 m

		La Paz Day 5	Santa Cruz	La Paz Day 1	La Paz Day 3	La Paz Day 5/7	La Paz Day 12/16
PaO₂ (mm Hg)	AUS		71.3±8.5	43.9±2.6***^, ⁺⁺⁺	43.5±2.1***^, ⁺⁺⁺	51.1±3.7***^, ^xxx	56.1±2.2***^, ^xxx^, ⁺⁺⁺
PaO₂ (mm Hg)	BOL	54.3±2.4***^, ^xxx	75.7±6.8	48.2±3.4***	47.9±2.5***^, ^xxx	51.9±2.2***^, ^xxx	60.0±2.6***^, ^xxx
PaCO₂ (mm Hg)	AUS		39.7±2.4	39.1±2.3	35.8±2.3***	32.4±2.3***	30.7±1.3***
PaCO₂ (mm Hg)	BOL	30.5±1.6***	39.4±3.0	38.7±3.3	34.9±2.9***	33.3±2.3***	31.9±2.0***
pH	AUS		7.40±0.03	7.40±0.02	7.38±0.01*	7.42±0.03***	7.43±0.02***
pH	BOL	7.44±0.02***	7.41±0.02	7.40±0.03	7.40±0.02	7.43±0.02***	7.42±0.02*
Actual bicarbonate (mmol/L)	AUS		24.8±1.1	24.1±1.3	20.4±2.0***	20.6±1.3***^, ⁺	20.1±0.7***
Actual bicarbonate (mmol/L)	BOL	20.7±1.3***	24.1±1.4	23.0±1.9**	20.9±1.3***	21.6±1.1***	20.5±1.0***
base excess (mmol/L)	AUS		0.7±1.2	0.1±1.6	−3.6±1.5***	−3.3±1.7***^, ⁺	−3.4±0.9***
base excess (mmol/L)	BOL	−2.8±1.4***	0.1±1.1	−1.1±1.8**	−3.2±1.2***	−2.1±0.8***	−3.3±1.1***

Significant differences from the near sea-level values are indicated as *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.
Significant differences from the value determined 2 h after arrival at altitude (only for PaO₂) are indicated by^xxx p<0.001.
Differences between the Australian and Bolivian football players are presented as ⁺p<0.05, ⁺⁺⁺p<0.001.
PaCO₂, arterial partial pressure for CO₂.